Hildegard's Labyrinth

Hildegard's Labyrinth is located just northeast of Benet Hall Monastery Immaculate Conception has two labyrinths. A grass labyrinth, named in honor of Hildegard of Bingen, located in front of Benet Hall and a portable labyrinth, named for St. Scholastica that is available for rental. For more information about rental, please contact the coordinator of the labyrinth.

What Is a Labyrinth?

A labyrinth is a spiraling, single path walkway. It is like a narrow two-way street that slowly winds toward the center. Once at the center, the walker may remain for prayer. When ready, the pilgrim retraces her steps back through the labyrinth and then out the mouth of the labyrinth.

Walking the sacred path of the labyrinth is a form of walking meditation. As you walk the path, you become quiet, centered, and more mindful of your actions. By walking the labyrinth, many pilgrims discover their sacred inner space.

History of the Labyrinth

Labyrinths can be found in many traditions and cultures. The oldest labyrinths are thousands of years old.

By the 12th century, the Crusades were raging, making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land very dangerous. In order that pilgrimages could continue, the Catholic Church named seven European cathedrals that housed labyrinths as be the final destinations of pilgrims. Traveling to one of the seven cathedrals that housed a labyrinth was a much safer means of making a pilgrimage.

The grass labyrinth at the monastery is patterned after the Chartres Cathedral labyrinth, which was built in the 12th century. One legend credits Benedictine monks with the upkeep of both the labyrinth and the cathedral during the first 300 years of their existence.

How To Walk the Labyrinth

Pause at the entry as you become fully conscious of stepping into the labyrinth. Allow about a minute or several turns of the labyrinth to lapse between you and the person in front of you.

When walking the labyrinth, it is important that you "find your rhythm." Walk at a pace that is comfortable for you.

If you move more rapidly than the person in front of you, move around the person. If you are moving more slowly than the person behind you, allow that person to pass.

The path is a two-way street. If you want to maintain a meditative stance, avoid eye contact.

We ask that you walk the indoor labyrinth without your shoes unless you need the support of your shoes to walk. You may walk the grass labyrinth with or without shoes.

Be conscious of your breathing. Let your breath flow smoothly.

Each experience in the labyrinth is different. The labyrinth is a way of opening ourselves to what God shares with us on the journey.

Resources

Web Sites

http://www.paxworks.com

http://www.labyrinthonline.com/

http://www.gracecathedral.org/labyrinth/

Books

Walking a Sacred Path by Dr. Lauren Artress, 1995, Riverhead Books, ISBN: 1-57322-547-9

The Living Labyrinth, by Jeremy Taylor, 1998, Paulist Press, ISBN: 0-8091-3766-6

Exploring the Labyrinth, by Melissa Gayle West, 2000, Broadway Books, ISBN: 0-7679-0356-0

Creating a Labyrinth

Labyrinths are created from a variety of materials including stone, cloth, and grass. Both St. Scholastica's labyrinth and Hildegard of Bingen's labyrinth were created by the same man, John Ridder. Our portable labyrinth, St. Scholastica's, was painted on billboard vinyl. With a team of eight people, Hildegard of Bingen's grass labyrinth was cut in one day.

Interested in creating a labyrinth in your sacred space? Please contact John Ridder

Hildegard of Bingen

The grass labyrinth is named in honor of Hildegard of Bingen. St. Hildegard was a 12th century mystic whose writings reflect the internal journey to the sacred, a journey that can be facilitated by walking the labyrinth. She also studied and used herbs for healing and recognized that we must all be stewards of the earth.

St. Scholastica

St. Scholastica founded the first monastery for Benedictine women in the fifth century. Sister to Benedict, the creator of The Rule of St. Benedict, St. Scholastic believed that all of God's creations were to be honored and that we should live our lives with a listening heart. She believed in the importance of nurturing a strong relationship with God and the labyrinth can be a part of that nurturing.